A Will to Live
by lilrenthefox
Summary: Raylan has been off his game after taking a stray bullet, he knows Art had to suspend him but now that he's back on the streets with Tim he's off his game. He doesn't realize how much this has affected him until someone takes a bullet that was meant for him, suddenly it's not Raylan who's laying in a hospital bed contemplating whether to fight to survive or just let go and wait for


Chapter 1: GSW

Raylan's boots clicked on the tiles of the grocery store's floor with a satisfying sound, Tim been bragging about the deli's sandwiches for at least a week and Raylan decided a sandwich sounded good. The hat made him stand out, and even with Tim wearing an overcoat in the cool fall weather of Kentucky, their guns were still visible as were the stars on their belts. Raylan nodded to the cashier on his way in and flashed her a smile.

"Do you have that effect on every woman you come into contact with?" Tim rolled his eyes.

"Why if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were gettin' jealous over there," Raylan chuckled.

"Screw you," Tim punched his shoulder playfully, "I'm gonna grab some chips and drinks, you still like Dr. Pepper and those salt'n'vinegar chips?"

"Yeah, thanks," Raylan replied. He approached the counter and looked over the selection.

"Good mornin' Marshal," the man behind the counter greeted him. "What can I get you?"

"Well, my partner usually gets the—," he stopped mid-sentence as the man looked past him and his eyes widened. Raylan didn't have time to turn before someone slammed into him, the crack of a gun echoed through the store. He hit the ground and his hand grabbed for his sidearm, wishing he'd put his bulletproof vest on that morning before leaving the office. His eyes scanned his field of vision for Tim when the second gunshot sounded, ears ringing he didn't see Tim but a woman. With a gun in her hand. She was slumped against the deli's glass case, Raylan raised his gun aiming it at her. He blinked and saw the gun was limp in her grip, though she held it in front of her still. Her hand shaking, she swept the store.

"Ma'am," Raylan could barely hear his own voice, the aftermath of a gun going off tended to leave your hearing impaired for a few seconds. "Ma'am, I need to you drop the gun," he got to his feet and took a small step towards her. She turned to face him, relief spreading over her face before she fell forward. Raylan caught her reflexively, Tim came sprinting around one of the aisles with his gun drawn.

"What happened?" he panted.

Raylan holstered his gun, figuring Tim would handle any other threats. He glanced up and saw he was right, Tim had his back to Raylan and the woman in his arms and was clearing the rest of the area. He took the gun out of the woman's hand with ease, "Tim, you okay?"

"Yeah, you?" Tim's voice sounded normal as he turned around. "Holy shit, Ray! Where're you hit?" he dropped to a knee beside Raylan.

"I'm not," Raylan looked down, his white button up had bright red blood soaking into it. He did a mental inventory, then it hit him. The woman in his arms shuddered, he checked her over and saw blood pooling on the floor beneath them. "Shit," he cursed as he saw the hole in her chest, "Tim, it's not me it's her. Call an ambulance!" he lowered her to the floor and put pressure on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "Help is comin', you're gonna be okay," he tried to comfort her, she nodded but small choking sounds came from her lips and blood trickled from the corners of her mouth. There was a bloody gash over one of her eyes from the impact as she'd fallen against one of the displays while trying to keep her balance. Her brown hair had been curly and soft, but was now matted to her head. Raylan's eyes met hers, she drew a ragged breath and smiled at him weakly before coughing violently. Her hand reached out, groping for something to hold onto and Raylan took it and squeezed. He kept his other hand over the wound, "I know it hurts, Tim's callin' someone for you," she blinked slowly and Raylan knew she was fading. "Thank you," his voice cracked a little, "you saved my life." Blood speckled his shirt, she grit her teeth and gasped once more then passed out.

"God dammit," Tim pulled his cell phone out. "Deputy U.S. Marshals Tim Gutterson and Raylan Givens, we're at Butcher Boy and there's been a shooting. One man dead and a civilian injured and critical, send help." He turned back to Raylan, he had both of his hands over the bullethole.

"I dunno what to do," Raylan's voice shook.

"Move, I have some field experience," Tim put his gun away and knelt.

"She tackled me," Raylan moved his hands from the wound.

"Huh?" Tim wasn't really listening, he'd pulled her the plaid flannel away from the wound and had started searching for the hole.

"I thought I'd been shot again," Raylan still held her hand.

"Nothin' I can really do for this until the ambulance gets here," Tim shook his head. "Missed her heart."

"That's good," Raylan felt numb.

"Maybe," Tim put pressure back on the wound and a small cry escaped her lips.

Raylan squeezed her hand and put her head in his lap, "I gotcha," he didn't know what to say. Pretty sure the woman who'd just saved his life was dying in his lap, "Help's comin', darlin', just hang on."

The paramedics got there with Art and Rachel hot on their heels, Tim moved as the medics rushed in. Raylan shot a look at Art, "I'm goin' with her," it wasn't a question and Art knew that no matter what he said Raylan wasn't going to listen.

"That's fine, we're right behind you," Art drew in a breath when he saw the blood on Raylan's shirt and jeans. "Jesus Christ, you hit?"

"No," Raylan stood, the medics loaded the woman on the stretcher and were securing her before heading to the ambulance. "Tim'll explain," he called behind him as he trotted beside the stretcher, her hand still in his squeezing it tightly. He decided that was a good sign and squeezed back.


End file.
